Doug Gillis is still listed as a Virginia Tech assistant softball coach in multiple places on the Tech athletics website.
He was also listed as an assistant coach in the Tech game notes for the softball team’s series with Duke last weekend.
But Gillis is actually no longer a part of the softball staff.
Gillis was the pitching coach for the Hokies the previous four seasons. He helped the team advance to the NCAA Super Regionals the past two years.
But he has not been helping coach the 13th-ranked Hokies this season.
“We felt it was best that he no longer be on the staff,” Tech athletic director Whit Babcock said recently.
The athletic director would not disclose why the decision was made that Gillis should no longer be an active member of the staff.
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Babcock said the decision came after a “process” that Babcock was a part of.
Babcock said Gillis remains a Tech employee because his letter of appointment has not expired.
Gillis’ current letter of appointment does not end until June 30, according to a copy of that document that was obtained by The Roanoke Times.
Hokies coach Pete D’Amour also would not comment on the reason behind Gillis’ exit from the staff.
“I’ll just let Whit speak for it,” D’Amour said Tuesday in a phone interview.
Babcock said he believes Gillis is looking for a new job.
Gillis did not reply to an email seeking an interview or comment.
Gillis served as a pitching coach at Missouri and Kennesaw State before moving with D’Amour from Kennesaw State to Tech when D’Amour was hired as Tech’s coach.
Tech’s pitchers had shined under Gillis. Carrie Eberle was named the ACC pitcher of the year in 2019, while Keely Rochard was named the ACC pitcher of the year the past two seasons. Current Hokies ace Emma Lemley was named the ACC freshman of the year last season.
Mike Lewis has been serving as Tech’s pitching coach this season. The Hokies entered Tuesday with a record of 27-8 overall and in fourth place in the ACC with a 9-3 league mark.
Lewis has been a Tech assistant coach since July 2020. He used to be in charge of the pitchers at Missouri-Kansas City and used to help with the pitchers at Minnesota.
D’Amour said Lewis has done great in his new role.
“He pitches for men’s fast-pitch, … he’s pitched on the junior national team. So I’m very confident in Mike,” D’Amour said. “He’s had his hand in everything since he’s gotten here.
“We were working with the staff that we have and the options that we have and it’s the middle of the [school] year, and it was just natural for me to move him into that spot for right now.
“Mike is a very level-headed coach and I think players respond to him well. He’s got a good rapport with all of our kids, not just the pitchers.”
Lemley entered Tuesday leading the nation in strikeouts (199) and tied for fourth in wins (17).
The Virginia Tech pitching staff entered Tuesday ranked sixth in the ACC in ERA (2.93) and first in strikeouts (279).
“All of our pitchers respect Mike and what he’s done,” D’Amour said. “For the most part, our pitching has been OK. I keep reminding myself our ace pitcher [Lemley] is a sophomore and our other pitcher [Lyndsey Grein] is a freshman. And we have Molly [Jacobson], and she’s throwing as well as she ever has since she’s been here. We’ve got a young staff.”
Then-catcher Mackenzie Lawter and the Tech pitchers called their own pitches the past three seasons. But Rochard has turned pro, and Lawter is now serving as a Tech student assistant while finishing work on her master’s degree.
So Lewis has been calling the pitches this season.
“We’ve got a freshman catcher [Kylie Aldridge] back there that isn’t as comfortable as Mackenzie and Keely were,” D’Amour said.
D’Amour said Lewis has been exceptional in calling the pitches.
“He’s a top-level hitter in men’s fast-pitch, … so he knows how hitters think,” D’Amour said. “And he pitches, so he know how pitchers think. So that’s an aspect that he’s really good at.”
D’Amour said Lewis and Lawter bounce ideas off each other in the dugout.
D’Amour, a former pitching coach at Missouri, said he has been “a little bit more involved” with the pitchers this season.